Author: Jason Ditz

It is not helpful to even comment on "civilian" to "non-civilian" split when counting victims. Saudi Arabia and its allies and enablers in this "war' on civilians does not care. Why are we then trying to come up with some justification. Up until today I have not read one — repeat one — report on Yemen that actually explained that "Houtis" is an invented name, simply calling people of Yemen by the name of their leader. Yemeni Zaidi dynasties have ruled Yemen continuously for well over 1,000 years, until the military coup toppled the last ruler in the fifties. That was real Yemen. Provinces in the south where multiple sultanates and emirates not unlike the rest of Gulf royalties. The region is historically known as Hadrawmouth, known in history by its sailing trade between Asia and Middle East. Port of Aden was carved out to serve British Empire sailing routes. While Yemen fell under military coup, the southern regions fell under the influence of communism, and called themselves "South Yemen". After the end of Cold War, the two regions were forcibly united under US and Saudi auspices. This allowed Saudi Arabia to control the Shia Zaidi north, by using now conquered Southern communist-ruled region as Sunni counterbalance to Sana'a.
So now we have the real population of north assert itself and shake off Hadi Sunni control over their region. Hadi became "president" in a sham, one person election sponsored by US and Saudi Arabia. As everybody knew, that could not last. One cannot oppress the entire population forever. Zaidi Sana'a has no problems with south secession. In fact, they approve. But what they do not want to see is again a foreign-controlled Aden. As the secessionists are too weak to control much outside southernmost city of Mukkalla, the battle for Aden is really a battle for negotiating chip in this conflict. Saudi Arabia suffered indignities of being attacked on its soil — is reacting brutally not caring for how may people get killed in the north. What Saudi Arabia and its sponsors need to know is the following: most of the workers in Saudi Kingdom are Yemeni from both Shia north and Sunni south, and most of the rich oligarchs in Saudi Arabia are from Hawdramouth — those that once upon a time emigrated into East Africa and from there spread business into Saudi Arabia. They are financing secessesionist South, that has for a while now become a headquarters for many Saudi wealth. With its own Shia population, Saudi Arabia needs to be very careful. To complicate things for the Kingdom is the composition of its armed forces. Most of them are people who are not Saudis by nationality. They have come from all over the Moslem world — for pay, education and benefits. They are definitely seeing themselves in any sort of land war in mountains of Yemen, where the native Zaidi will have all the advantages. Saudi Arabia miscalculated by hoping to get Pakistani children on the cheap to fight this one — or equally poor Egyptians. Seems that Saudi cause is not a popular one — no matter how hard they try to wrap it into "figting against Iranian influence". Nobody is buying it. Everybody who knows Yemen knows who the real natives are and the story cannot be packaged in a way to allow Egypt and Pakistan to do anything overtly.

Survivor

i hope the houthis can return the favor in sending some missiles into the Saudi oil fields.